Salmagundi Arts Club | Through 5/31 | New York, NY

The Power of Portraiture

Salmagundi Arts Club presents an exhibition of contemporary realist portraiture in the classical tradition

Is there anything more compelling than the human face? It’s a canvas of emotion that, even when expressionless, still reveals. It is also home to the unfathomable depths of the windows of the soul, where we can glimpse our universal humanity and connect most intimately with another. It’s no wonder the art of portraiture has endured throughout the ages—from the unparalleled works of Rembrandt and Vermeer, Velasquez and Davinci to the contemporary artists who are faithfully—and skillfully—carrying on the classical techniques of the Old Masters today.

Janice Barnes, Iris, oil on canvas, 18 x 14"

Curated by Michael Fetherston and presented at the Salmagundi Arts Club in New York City, Face to Face is an ongoing exhibition of portraiture and sculpture by several dozen leading classical realist artists, each with a unique aesthetic vision while all working exclusively from life. A second portrait show featuring 19th-century paintings by renowned artists including Ilya Repin, Solomon J. Solomon and William Merritt Chase runs concurrently in an adjoining gallery, providing visitors the opportunity to compare the old and the new side-by-side.

Among the many impressive featured artists is Janice Barnes, who is represented by her showpiece Iris,which successfully captures her model’s dignified air and serene calm. “I feel that painting a portrait from life allows me to express the humanity and character of an individual in ways which might be lost when painting a portrait from photographs,” says Barnes. “As the artist, I observe many different moments in time, even in the stillness of the model as they pose, and I attempt to translate those moments with my medium. I might emphasize aspects that speak to me or minimize those that do not. The interaction that takes place between myself and the model and the shared experience influences those choices.”

Lorenzo Narciso, Rahil, oil on canvas, 9 x 7½"

Giovanni Priante will be presenting a self-portrait sculpture aptly titled Reflection. “I sought to capture the moments when we find ourselves trapped within our own thoughts,” says Priante of the piece. “There are times when self-reflection becomes a profound introspection, but it can also transform into a cage, separating us from reality and becoming a prison of our own making. The mirror, for me, symbolizes this introspection. While self-observation can be beneficial, it also has the potential to lead to excessive self-criticism, which can paralyze us. This sculpture serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between self-reflection and self-acceptance, and encourages me to embrace authenticity and self-compassion.”

Kathryn Engberg, Madonna, oil on linen, 20 x 16"

Lorenzo Narciso likes to paint in a frenzied state, in search of a feeling that he only knows when he comes upon it. “Portrait paintings aren’t really an exception, especially with Rahil,” he says of the work. “She went through a bit of a transformation from the original sketch from life, but I kept to the vision I had when I initially painted her: a slightly somber, enigmatic kind of feeling with a beautiful, youthful glow. Together with my memory of her face from months before, this vision is what served as my guide in rummaging for details to fill in the gaps and make this portrait sketch a painting.”

Throughout the history of Western classical portrait painting, few subjects have been revisited as often as the Madonna. But in this rendition, artist Kathryn Engberg decided to depart from the predominant narratives, and paint her subject without child and confidently solitary while retaining the aesthetic of high Renaissance beauty. “The worth of a woman has always been attached to motherhood which is inherently tethered to self-sacrifice—this work offers an alternative to challenge this assumption,” says Engberg. “Portraiture serves as a powerful conduit for conveying the visceral experience of life and its emotional intricacies.”